


Danny has died...

by nativexhaole (sweeneybearsam)



Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Tumblr Prompt, mcdanno
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-28
Updated: 2016-06-28
Packaged: 2018-07-18 19:59:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,126
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7328455
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sweeneybearsam/pseuds/nativexhaole
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>So, I got a meme on my Steve blog about Danny dying, and while I was ONLY supposed to let Steve react to the news, I got away from myself and it turned into a drabble. Because Danny isn't allowed to die anymore than Steve is.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Danny has died...

The words don’t sink in right away. Maybe it’s the pain he’s in, maybe it’s the absurdity of the implication that _anything_ could take the hard headed detective down… either way, they fall flat as Steve shifts on the gurney, eyes scanning the chaos for blonde hair and blue eyes that should be wide with rage and something he’s never been able to read in moments like this. He doesn’t find them, though, and it panics him, so much that he doesn’t hear himself grounding out the question that prompts the repetition of the three words he’s not ready to accept.  


_Where is Danny? Where is he?_

**“Danny has died…”**

And it doesn’t make sense. 

How can Danny be dead? 

It’s _Danny._

He’s survived collapsing buildings, shootouts and beatings. He’s been through hell with Steve, and never once failed to come out the other side with a choice word or two of admonishment and reminder that his partner is in fact certifiable. He’s not dead, because, you see– nothing can kill Danny Williams. He thinks he says as much, his mouth is certainly moving, but he can’t hear anything but those three foul words on a loop in his mind as he moves to try and dismount the moving bed, ready to take this on himself and seek out his best friend.

Joe has other plans, the stubborn old man coming to a stop and resting gentle hands on a broad, bloodied chest as he eases Steve back, voice low as he explains something that comes in broken bits and pieces, arrangements that make so sense to the SEAL currently attempting to get up anyway. No one seems to understand his need, that he needs to get to his partner, he made a promise. Joe’s patient, explaining again, and slowly, Steve’s starting to put the words into a sensible order in his mind, eyes wide with horror and pain.

**“I’m so sorry, Steve… Danny didn’t make it out. You did what you could, we know that… but he was hurt too badly. We didn’t get here fast enough, he was gone when we found you. I’m sorry, son. Danny’s dead. He’s gone, Steve, and you getting up, hurting yourself worse, it’s not going to bring him back. Lay down, sailor. It’s over.”**

It’s not over, though. It will _never_ be over, not to Steve. He made a promise, to Danny, and to Grace, and to Danno’s family, to protect that man. To keep his partner safe, to bring his best friend home in one piece every night, and this can’t end this way. It’s not possible, because he’d never break a promise to Danny, or Grace, or Charlie. It’s not over, because he failed, and he’s the one who will have to live with nightmares, and memories. 

He’s the one who has to hold two children he loves more than life as he explains that he didn’t move fast enough, that he wasn’t brave enough and that he wasn’t smart enough to keep Danny safe. He’s the one who will have to hand a folded flag to Danny’s mother, see her face as she buries her other son and knows it’s because his partner didn’t protect him. It’s not over because his best friend, his sanity and his partner are dead, and it’s on him. 

His heart is racing and breaking at once, his face wet with tears and blood and muck, and it’s when they wheel another gurney by that he goes cold… because there’s a sheet over the prone shape and a hand he knows anywhere is hanging limply off the side, a small cross inked into the webbing of his thumb, and Steve thinks he screams– his throat hurts and there’s a bellowing, like an animal in pain over the sounds of sirens and screams.

He almost laughs, because that’s what Danny always calls him– an animal. 

He wishes Danny could hear how right he is.

And just as suddenly as the pain seeps into his bones, he hears an odd sound. It’s loud, and it’s jarring, and it’s somewhere near his ear, his head turning. 

——————————————————————————

There’s a gasp and Steve is sitting up, looking around– he’s in his bed, in his room, at home, and there, beside him, staring at him with worried blue eyes is…

_Danny?_

**“Babe? Are you okay...? Those were some seriously unhappy noises...”**  


He’s staring, he knows he is, but Danny doesn’t seem phased as he moves closer and touches his shoulder, brow furrowed as he waits for an answer, adding quietly.

**“Nightmare?”**  


He’s hesitant to nod, because what if _this_ is the dream? But then hands are on his face, thumbs tracing cheekbones and it’s too real to be a dream. He surges forward and bumps his head to his partner’s, Danny chuckling lightly as he threads a hand through Steve’s hair, tugging to give him a jolt of pain, grounding him in this reality. 

Steve wants to _cry_ because of how well Danny knows him.

He says nothing for a long time, just sitting there, breathing in sync with Danny and the blonde stays just as silent, because he probably sees it’s what Steve needs. A hand moves to rub the scar on Danny’s chest, fingers sliding over the well remembered raising of skin, and Danny makes a sound in his throat before he speaks again, soothing Steve’s fears, somehow understanding finally.

**“I walked away, Steven. I’m okay, I’m here. You saved me, Superman. You _always_ save me. Y’know, when I’m not saving _you._ We’re good.”**

His eyes must still be wide as he pulls back, because Danny’s got that look on his face, and he loves it, because it’s something he needs, the way blue hues darken and stubbled features contort into a soft smile. 

Steve closes the gap with a soft kiss, hands on Danny’s face, drinking in the skin and nodding slowly. He takes his time, letting Danny flood his senses and only breaking away when Danny makes that noise that means he’s waiting for an answer, Steve’s voice quiet as he finally mumbles. 

**“I’ve got you, partner… _always.”_**

The kiss returned to him makes his remaining fear melt, letting Danny lead him from the room to the lanai, and as they lean there, hip to hip, watching the sun rise on the water before them, he wonders why his mind does this to him… and it dawns that maybe it’s a reminder. A reminder that he’s got something to lose now, and he can’t afford to let it, even if the odds are against him. Because he came close, and that nightmare will never be something he can escape.

But at least Danny doesn’t mind trying to help him do it anyway.


End file.
